Need to Replace Front Clip on 1976 911s

[Vincent Hill]

New to this forum but not new I have a 1976 911s that I need to replace the front clip. I KNOW it will not be Cheap or Quick. It is My Wife's Car and now she wants to get it done.

I can tow it or trailer it to where ever I can get the best work done at a reasonable price. Just before the accident I had just finished cutting off the fenders and Butt welding on the Turbo Look fenders and had completely done the engine and Transmission (Where I made the mistake of setting the clearances with the gears stacked Vertical as opposed to Horizontal which I will fix when this body work is done.

Does anyone know of any place in the US or Canada that does this kind of work a lot? My Hope to to get the front cut off and a new front welded in (Not fine detail finished) for around $10,000

This happened about 10 years ago and the car has been covered and I do not know what the cost of work is nowadays, but between the bad economy and deflation I hope I can get this done and I am in the Ball Park on price.

[aaocinc]

Sent you a PM
Thanks

[Vincent Hill]

Thank you guys for the PM's at least now I have a Place to start. This next weekend I will take a few Pics and post a few so that everyone will know what I am looking at. The Best thing I can say about this car is it felt like a 4 wheeled Motorcycle. It took a real blow and allowed my wife to walk away. So we owe not only ourselves something but we also owe this car.

[Jim Dorociak]

If I might offer a suggestion -- sometimes we get so attached we think what ever it takes to make it right is the best thing. In my opinion I would suggest you look first for a donor roller that has not been crashed and then switch everything off your car to the donor after it is painted(assuming it needs painting) and make a new car. Unless your car is significant piece of Porsche history it would be hard for me to justify $10,000 to clip the front.

Please keep us informed of your project and progress.

Jim

[Vincent Hill]

Originally Posted by Jim Dorociak

If I might offer a suggestion -- sometimes we get so attached we think what ever it takes to make it right is the best thing. In my opinion I would suggest you look first for a donor roller that has not been crashed and then switch everything off your car to the donor after it is painted(assuming it needs painting) and make a new car. Unless your car is significant piece of Porsche history it would be hard for me to justify $10,000 to clip the front.

Please keep us informed of your project and progress.

Jim

You have stated the Truth! But what can you say about a car that saved you life? Sort of like a Seriously injured Dog that saved your live and it will cost a HUGE amount of money to save the Dog when you could simply put it to sleep and get another.

Plus with this car I have done everything to the engine (Used Time Serts and Divilar Studs on the Case new Pistons and Cylinders, main Bearings and fully upgraded Transmission (That I still need to fix my mistake when I set the spacing) and all new bearing everywhere and suspension. It has been with us for close to 200,000 miles of the 300,000 miles AND the Biggest reason is "My Wife wants it done this way"! If any of you know anything about being Married is, "If your Wife is Happy, then you are Estatic!

If getting a Donor Car was the deal, I would have done this maybe 7 or 8 years ago.

[Vincent Hill]

Thanks Jim, I have been talking to her Exactly about this option and maybe she is a little more flexible after I showed her a few cars that were available for around this price.

In the mean time I have removed the covers and pulled the spare tire out and a few other things and took some Pictures yesterday. Tonight I will post a few pictures and send some to each of the people that replied to see what they think the cost would be! It looks like the buckel in the floor pan is right at the foot Box area right at the front of the Firewall line. I wish it would have been just a little farther up but that is what it is. I will post more later today.

[Jim Dorociak]

One more thought - 1977 and up had the galvanized bodies, and while they did some galvanizing in 1975 and a little more in 1976 the later year donor car you get the less chance you will deal with any rust, or at the least very minimal. I even see roller widebody cars available. Jim

[962porsche]

can you past pics ? clipping a car at times is not all that bad . i have doen more than i would like to remember .

[Vincent Hill]

Originally Posted by Jim Dorociak

One more thought - 1977 and up had the galvanized bodies, and while they did some galvanizing in 1975 and a little more in 1976 the later year donor car you get the less chance you will deal with any rust, or at the least very minimal. I even see roller widebody cars available. Jim

Trust me, this was one of the considerations when I bought this over a 74 or 75! This IS Galvanized.

[Vincent Hill]

Right Front, Under the car, in Front, Left side Under and rear.









This should give everyone a pretty good Idea of what i am dealing with! What I need to know now is about how much this will cost to fix?

[962porsche]

what i would like to see is the door gaps on the right side of the car . and the door to QTR gap on the left side . what i need to see are the gaps on the part of the car that is going to be saved . so that would be the A-pillers and left & right QTR's to doors and outter rockers to doors .

[Vincent Hill]

Originally Posted by 962porsche

what i would like to see is the door gaps on the right side of the car . and the door to QTR gap on the left side . what i need to see are the gaps on the part of the car that is going to be saved . so that would be the A-pillers and left & right QTR's to doors and outter rockers to doors .

I Actually understand what you are looking for. You want to see if the Front took All of the damage or if the rest of the car took some also. I know that the Door on the Driver Side opens and closes as usual and when I opened the Passenger door I do not remember feeling anything different. So as soon as I can, I will push it back over and take a few Pics of the Right side Door / Quarter / Rocker / A Pillar area and 1 or 2 of the Left side to compare. Thanks for your interest. As soon as I have more knowledge I will know exactly what I am going to do and how I am going to do it.

[GLASFIBRE]

See PM...

[Vincent Hill]

I took some Pics of the Door Gaps last night and I am not happy with what I saw. Yes the doors all work fine but the right door is back about 3/8 to 1/2 inch and out about the same at the top and in at the Bottom between 3/16 and 1/4 inch.

I will post the pics tonight! Again thank you for asking.

[Vincent Hill]

OH Oh! Does not look so good! I took right and left to compare. Looks like the Right door is about 3/16" IN at the Rockers and Back about 3/8 to 1/2" at the top and Pushed out about 1/2 to 3/4" at the very top of the door compared to the Left Side






It looks like the A Pillar was pushed back AND Out at the top!

[Jim Dorociak]

Well, I have seen enough, my original thoughts -- just find another roller and build a car. Move what is good over to that chassis or sell parts off your wreck to pay for the work on the roller. Looks like a perfect time to upgrade. I am not sure any of your front suspension is good and last thing you want to do is find out after it is built.

I have seen several Turbo rollers available maybe that would be better, at least that way you get your flares and front fenders.

Jim

[CliffBrown]

Originally Posted by Vincent A Hill

Does anyone know of any place in the US or Canada that does this kind of work a lot? My Hope to to get the front cut off and a new front welded in (Not fine detail finished) for around $10,000

Vincent

Unless this 911 has some kind of sentimental value most P car guys would agree that this is a car to part-out not restore for a couple of reasons.

1. For that amount of money you can buy a nice 911SC or '84-'86 Carrera or most any mid '70 911.

2. After a complete repair and good paint job you'll be spending more than $10K unless you do a significant amount of the work yourself. And don't forget to put a value on your own time.

Sorry if I sound pessimistic but those are the facts as I see them.

[962porsche]

Vin its not worth clipping use the car for parts . the hole floor pan has a twist to it .

[Vincent Hill]

As Soon As I saw the Door fitting, I showed this to my wife and Finally she agreed! And Jim D, I took what you said Very SERIOUSLY! Before I saw this I started looking around and found a 1982 911 SC with 109K Miles and the day I Posted the Pics BOUGHT the car for 11.5K. From what I can tell, the 1974 to 1983 911's will all let me use the SSI 1974 Style Heat Exchangers, My 2 in 2 Out Stainless Muffler and the Wheel Spacers, Shocks and Rear Flares. All I need to do is buy Front Flares and we are in Business! Thank All of you for keeping me out of trouble! (AND Extra Expense and heart break!

[Jim Dorociak]

Thank goodness you found nice car to build on. With the 3.0 you should read up, but as I remember you want to make sure it has the updated 3.2 chain tensioner kit, and a pop off valve in the air box. That was one of the best longest running engines Porsche ever produced. Are you staying with the 911 bumpers or have you considered making a 964 turbo look with the updated painted bumpers?
It seems to me when you part out your existing car you will be years ahead financially and mentally. Keep the pictures coming we all love a great project. Whew! you had me scared for a little while. Jim